Collapsible dye tube

ABSTRACT

A tube for the treatment of yarn formed of a moldable material in a molding process such as by injection molding and which is resiliently compressible in both the axial and radial directions although it may take a permanent set under certain bath conditions, and which provides a suitable peripheral cylindrical surface for yarn wound thereon.

United States Patent 1 91 Draper 1 Sept. 4, 1973 COLLAPSIBLE DYE TUBE 3,563,491 211971 Hahm et a1. 242/118.11 [75] Inventor: Ralph M. Draper, Elnora, N.Y.

Primary Examiner-George F. Mautz 1 Asslgnee= Albany Inlemaflonal l Albany, Attorney-David 3. Kane, Daniel H. Kane, Philip T. Dalsimer, Joseph C. Sullivan, John Kurucz, James J. [22] Filed: Aug 19, 1971 Salerno, Jr., Martin E. Goldstein, Charles R. Hoffmann, Gerald Levy, Charles P. Bauer, Peter Saxon and 1 PP N01 172,966 Peter c. van der Sluys [52] US. Cl. 242/118. 57 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl B65h 75/22, B65h 75/10 [58] Field of Search 242/118.11, 118.1, A 'l Yam fmmed a 'FQ' P materlal 1n a moldlng process such as by IIIJCCIlOl'I 242/118.2,118, 68/198,189

moldlng and whlch 1s reslllently compresslble 1n both UNITED STATES PATENTS which provides a suitable peripheral cylindrical surface lnouye et a]. for yam wound thereor 3,561,696 2/1971. Hahm 242/1l8.1l

2/1971 Egyptien 242/118.11 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED SE? 4 i975 SHEET 2 0F 2 INVENTOR.

COLLAPSIBLE DYE TUBE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the treatment of thread and yarn, it is frequently desirable to wind the thread or yarn about a tube. When the treatment is a wet treatment such as a dyeing operation, the tube with the yarn wound thereon is then submerged in a bath. Many advantages have been found in the utilization of such a tube which can undergo radial collapse. In certain applications axial collapse is desirable and frequently both radial and axial collapsing or compression is required. Such collapse capability has been satisfactorily achieved in metal tubes. Metal tubes, however, are expensive to manufacture. A suitable disposable tube formed of a moldable material such as plastic, which can be readily molded by conventional techniques such as injection molding techniques is desirable from an economical point of view. n

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In my co-pending application Ser. No. 154,560 entitled Collapsible Dye Tube which was filed in the United States Patent Office on June 18, 1971, there is disclosed a tube for the treatment of yarn which is resiliently compressible in both the axial and radial directions and which provides a suitable peripheral cylindrical surface for yarn wound thereon which comprises parallel end rings, at least one peripheral serpentine ring intermediate the end rings, the serpentine ring being joined to each of the end rings by structural members which provide substantially equal clockwise and counterclockwise rotation resisting forces between the surpentine ring and the end rings. In that construction there are, forming the serpentine ring. and the structural members, a plurality of first, second, third, fourth and fifth like peripheral elongated members each of which forms an angle with the planes of the end rings, a first end of each of said first members abutting one of said second members remote from the ends thereof, a second end of each of the first members abutting one of the third members remote from the ends thereof, and the fourth and fifth structural members abut the first structural member at spaced locations remote from the ends thereof and on opposite sides thereof.

In the subject application there is provided a tube for the treatment of yarn which is resiliently compressible in both the axial and radial directions and which provides a suitable peripheral cylindrical surface for yarn wound thereon which comprises parallel'end rings, a

plurality of first, second, third, fourth and fifth pairs of peripheral parallel spaced elongated members which are disposed between the end rings, each of the pairs forms an angle with the planes of the end rings, first ends of the members of the first pair abut a member of the second pair remote from the ends thereof, second ends of the members of the first pair abut a member of the third pair remote from the ends thereof, the fourth pair abuts one member of the first pair at spaced locations remote from the ends thereof and on the same side thereof and the fifth pair abut the remaining member of the first pair at spaced locations remote from the ends thereof on the same side thereof.

The expression resiliently compressible" is used herein to indicate that in the absence of actual bath conditions and when exposed to ambient temperature and pressures alone, the tube upon release of compressive forces will return to its original shape whereas under bath conditions it may take a permanent set under compression.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a tube formed in accordance with the teachings of this invention vertically disposedand in the non-compressed condition;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of one half of the tube shown in FIG. 1 split and laid onto a plane with portions thereof shown in solid lines and portions thereof shown in broken lines in order to facilitate understanding of the functional aspects of the tube during compression.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The tube shown in the FIGS. is formed of thermoplastic material by an injection molding process with all parts integral. It has parallel end rings 10 and 11 and a plurality of elongated structural members forming parallelograms such as those indicated by way of example by the numerals 12, l3, l4, l5, 16, 17, 18 and 19 joining the end rings. The elongated structural members form angles with the planes of the end rings and provide a repeating pattern. They can have any cross section desired.

It is noted that the structural members which form the long sides of each of the parallelograms are spaced providing a pair of peripheral parallel spaced elongated structural members disposed between the end rings, each of the pairs forming an angle with the planes of the end rings. For example, the parallelogram 15 has long sides 15a and 15b which are parallel and spaced and form angles with the end rings. Likewise, there is designated in the FIGS. members 12a and 12b forming the long sides of parallelogram 12, members 13a and 13b forming the long sides of parallelogram 13, members 14a and 14b forming the long sides of parallelogram 14, members and 15b forming the long sides of parallelogram 15, members 16a and 16b forming the long sides of parallelogram 16, members and 17b forming the long sides of parallelogram 17, members 18a and 18b forming the long sides of parallelogram 18 and members 19a and 19b forming the long sides of parallelogram 19. The upper ends of members 16a and 16b abut member 15b remote from the ends thereof. The lower ends of members 16a and 16b abut member 18a remote from the ends thereof. Members 14a and 14b abut member'16a at spaced locations remote from theends thereof and on the same side thereof and members and 19b abut member 16b at spaced locations remote from the ends thereof and on the same side thereof. Hence, if. members 16a and 16b are considered a first pair, members 15a and 15b considered a second pair, members 18a and 18b considered a third pair, members 14a and 14b considered a fourth pair and members 19a and 1% considered a fifth pair, the first ends of the members of the first pair abut a member of the second pair remote from the ends thereof and the second ends of the members of the first pair abut a member of the third pair remote from the ends thereof while the fourth pair abuts one member of the first pair at spaced locations remote from the ends thereof and on the same side thereof and the fifth pair abuts the remaining member of the first pair at spaced locations remote from the ends thereof and on the same side thereof.

It is noted that an abutting surface is defined on each of the respective structural members at the abutment of a structural member therewith and each of the respective members is unsupported by a structural member directly opposite the abutting surface. Hence, for example, the ends of members 16a and 16b define abutting surfaces on member 15b at their points of abutment therewith and member 15b is unsupported by a structural member directly opposite these abutting surfaces. This is repeated throughout the pattern established by the five pairs discussed above.

Considering now the drawing of FIG. 5, the action upon collapse of the tube is illustrated. Upon the application of force in the axial direction, members 19a and 19b abutting member 16b apply a force thereto upwardly and to the left causing member 16b to bow arcuately and assume the shape illustrated in FIG. 5 by the broken lines. At the same time, members 14a and 14b apply a force downwardly and to the right on member 16a causing it to bow arcuately and assume the shape illustrated in FIG. 5 by the broken lines. At the same time, members 19a and 19b are themselves bowed arcuately to assume the shape illustrated in FIG. 5 by the broken lines. For example, member 19a is moved to the broken line arcuate position of FIG. 5 by members 17a and 17b which abut it. Likewise, member 14a is moved to the position shown in the broken lines in FIG. 5 by members 12a and 12b. The modification of position and configuration of the members is repeated throughout. At the same time the structure being formed of a plastic material and being provided with members allowing collapse in a radial direction, the tube can collapse radially as well as axially and return to its original shape.

The angular relationship of the various elongated structural members with the plane of the end rings can be modified to provide more or less resistance to radial or axial compression as desired. Additionally, in molding certain of the structural elements can be constructed with greater cross sectional areas than others to provide increased resistance to compression and bending at particular locations if it is desired.

I claim:

1. A tube for the treatment of yarn which is resiliently compressible in both the axial and radial directions and which provides a suitable cylindrical surface for yarn wound thereon comprising, parallel end rings, a plurality of first, second, third, fourth and fifth pairs of peripheral parallel spaced elongated structural members disposed between said end rings, each of said pairs fonning an angle with the planes of said end rings, first ends of the members of said first pair abutting a member of said second pair on the same side thereof and remote from the ends thereof, second ends of the members of said pair abutting a member of said third pair on the same side thereof and remote from the ends thereof, said fourth pair abutting a member of said first pair remote from the ends thereof and on the same side thereof, said fifth pair abutting the remaining member of said first pair remote from the ends thereof and on the same side thereof, an abutting surface defined on each of said respective members at the abutment of a structural member therewith and each of said respective members being unsupported by a structural member directly opposite said abutting surface.

2. A tube for the treatment of yarn in accordance with claim 1 in which said fourth and fifth pairs abut said first pair on opposite sides thereof.

3. A tube for the treatment of yarn in accordance with claim 2 in which said fourth and fifth pairs abut said first pair in a direction to cause the members of said first pair to bow inwardly toward each other. 

1. A tube for the treatment of yarn which is resiliently compressible in both the axial and radial directions and which provides a suitable cylindrical surface for yarn wound thereon comprising, parallel end rings, a plurality of first, second, third, fourth and fifth pairs of peripheral parallel spaced elongated structural members disposed between said end rings, each of said pairs forming an angle with the planes of said end rings, first ends of the members of said first pair abutting a member of said second pair on the same side thereof and remote from the ends thereof, second ends of the members of said pair abutting a member of said third pair on the same side thereof and remote from the ends thereof, said fourth pair abutting a member of said first pair remote from the ends thereof and on the same side thereof, said fifth pair abutting the remaining member of said first pair remote from the ends thereof and on the same side thereof, an abutting surface defined on each of said respective members at the abutment of a structural member therewith and each of said respective members being unsupported by a structural member directly opposite said abutting surface.
 2. A tube for the treatment of yarn in accordance with claim 1 in which said fourth and fifth pairs abut said first pair on opposite sides thereof.
 3. A tube for the treatment Of yarn in accordance with claim 2 in which said fourth and fifth pairs abut said first pair in a direction to cause the members of said first pair to bow inwardly toward each other. 